By Nelson A. King
Sen. Roxanne J. Persaud on Monday
announced a series of NYS Department
of Education grants for schools
and non-profit organizations serving
constituents in her 19th Senatorial
District in the Canarsie section of
Brooklyn.
Persaud said this funding was
secured in the NYS Budget for fiscal
year 2019-2020 to help supplement
classroom teaching expenses, support
after-school programs and connect
more youth to STEM/STEAM and the
arts.
Among the grantees announced
were: P.S. 194 Raoul Wallenberg and
P.S. 272 Curtis Estabrook; STEM/
STEAM programs offered by Elite
Learners, Inc.; Sisters with Purpose
and St. Francis College; Arts and cultural
education programs offered by
No Kids Left Behind, Inc.; BRIC |
ARTS | MEDIA, Bklyn, Inc.; and My
Extended Family, an afterschool program
serving students from singleparent
households.
“As we begin a new school year, I
commend the educators, administrators,
support professionals, students
and parents across the 19th Senate
District, as well as the community
innovators who reach and empower
our youth and their families after
school, on the weekends and during
summer break,” said the Guyaneseborn
Persaud.
“I am honored to bring funding
from Albany to support this wellrounded
group of organizations serving
every corner of SD19 (District 10),”
she added.
Elite Learners’s chief executive
officer Camara Jackson lauded Persaud
for her leadership.
“We’re grateful to Sen. Persaud for
supporting our Mentorship Through
Robotics program,” Jackson said. “This
new funding will enable our organization
to introduce more students to
science and technology, which will
open the doors to a brighter future
for them.”
Joy Mendelsohn, principal at P.S.
194, said Persaud is “a huge supporter
of education.
“She values the importance of providing
students and teachers with
resources in order to help meet the
needs of every type of learner,” she
said. “PS 194 is extremely fortunate to
have Senator Persaud’s support.”
P.S. 272 Principal Dakota Keyes
said: “We at P.S. 272 - the Curtis Estabrook
School - are so excited about this
award, which will enable us to extend
and enhance our current youth and
community-centered programs.
Caribbean Life, Sept. 27 - Oct.3, 2019 3
Guyanese-American, James Richmon, left, a member of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Mayors Clergy Advisory, after the
meeting between the Mayors, joined Leslie Slocum of the Mayor De Blasio’s International Affairs Department,
Mayor of the City of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine, Advisor to Mayor Narine, Dr. Carl Niamatali, and President
of Women of Mission International, Inc., Linda Felix-Johnson, for a photo-op, outside Gracie Mansion in New York
City. Photo by Tangerine Clarke
NYC mayor welcomes Georgetown
Mayor Pandit Ubraj Narine
By Tangerine Clarke
Mayor of the City of New York, Mayor
Bill de Blasio, welcomed Georgetown
Mayor, Pandit Ubraj Narine, to Gracie
Mansion, on Sept. 18, where the two
politicians discussed climate change and
its effects on the cities of Georgetown
and New York, mental health awareness,
waste management and best practices,
training opportunities for Georgetown
municipal staff, and forge a partnership
to develop Guyana’s garden city.
Twenty-seven-year-old, Narine, the
youngest mayor in the region, also met
New York City Commissioner for International
Affairs, Penny Abeywardena
and Leslie Slocum, following the conclusion
of the meeting, where he agreed
to submit a draft work program for
cooperation between the cities of Georgetown
and New York, to Mayor Blasio,
who promised to work with Mayor Narine
on all possible initiatives.
After the closed-door meeting, Abeywardena,
who joined Mayor Narine and
his delegation on the grounds of Gracie
Mansion, told Caribbean Life, that it was
an honor to host the mayor of Georgetown,
Guyana, noting, that she had
discussed with him, how powerful his
office was, and the influence it can have
on communities.
“We definitely want to figure out, how
we could support each other, especially,
with all the developments happening in
Georgetown, we want to exchange best
practices, especially in mental health
awareness and climate change, as discussed
today,” said Commissioner Abeywardena.
“It has been a very good experience
for me. I am grateful that Mayor de
Blasio took the time out of his busy
schedule to meet us today, to discuss
a partnership between New York and
Georgetown,” said Mayor Narine.
“I am thankful to the Guyanese
diaspora, especially, James Richmond,
a very important member of Mayor de
Blasio’s Clergy advisory, who arranged
the meeting in a very short amount of
time.”
“I would like to thank, the President
of Women of Mission International,
Inc., Linda Felix-Johnson, Dr.
Carl Niamatali, Consul General, Barbara
Atherly, Ambassador Rudolph Ten Pow,
and Rickford Burke, for supporting my
visit to New York,” said Mayor Ubraj,
who spoke with urgency about restoring
Georgetown.
“I love my Guyanese people, and I love
my country, but the only way we could
restore the city, is by working together,”
says Mayor Narine, adding that he would
do whatever it takes to bring Georgetown
to its highest standard.
“I really want Georgetown to stay
clean. It is this Coalition government
that assisted the city council with the
removal of garbage, after the previous
government allowed garbage to pileup
in Georgetown, but yet, I want a system
in place, not for today or tomorrow,
but for generations to come,” said the
elected official.
He is working to recoup billions of
rates and taxes, monies owed to the
city of Georgetown by business people.
To this end, he has sought the help of
the private sector commission, and the
Georgetown Chamber of Commerce to
have the matter resolved in an amicable
way.
“People should put their country first,
before making money. If you keep your
place clean, you will attract tourists,
who would want to visit the city. This
will make your business boom,” said
Mayor Ubraj, who insisted, if rates and
taxes were paid-up, then the council
would award contracts, and carry out
projects, to up-keep Georgetown.
City of New York Mayor, Bill de Blasio
extends a hand of partnership with
the Mayor of the City of Georgetown,
Guyana, Pandit Ubraj Narine,
after a meeting to discuss mental
health awareness, climate change,
and other interests. Kames Richmond
State
grant
funding